Help us keep the lights on Support us
The Bristol Cable

Listen: Sabrina, goddess of the River Severn

Nicola Haasz discusses the origin myths of Sabrina, goddess of the River Severn, and the cultural responses the river has elicited through history.

Bristol History Podcast

The River Severn is the longest river in the UK. From its source in the Cambrian mountains in mid Wales, it flows down through Shropshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire before – after 220 miles – eventually reaching the Bristol Channel.

In this episode of the Bristol History Podcast, Tom meets with with Nicola Haasz, who has dedicated herself to exploring, collating and informing about the many facets of the Severn – including of course Sabrina (Hafren in Welsh), her associated goddess.

Tom and Nicola discuss the origin myths of Sabrina, and the different cultural responses that the Severn has elicited throughout its history.

NEWS YOU OWN
CAN'T BE BOUGHT

Become a member of The Cable to keep news independent.

Join now

Comments

Report a comment. Comments are moderated according to our Comment Policy.

Post a comment

Mark if this comment is from the author of the article

By posting a comment you agree to our Comment Policy.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related content

The workers who tried to make ‘swords into ploughshares’

Andy Danford spent decades in Bristol’s aerospace and arms sectors, navigating industrial battles, political upheaval, and bold ideas for transforming weapons factories into socially useful workplaces

Blazing the fire: Sound system culture through the generations

Sound system culture arrived with the Windrush Generation and took root in St Paul's and Easton, where speaker stacks became monuments to belonging, resistance, and Black identity.

Blockade runners: The grim history of the Bristol ships that helped US slave states

The American Civil War ended 160 years ago with the victory of the Union and the abolition of slavery. But many Bristolians supported the losing side and indirectly profited from enslaved labour.

How a 19th-century journalist revealed the extent of poverty in Victorian Bristol

A series of newspaper articles published in 1883 give us a fascinating insight into working-class Bristolian life at a time of severe economic depression. It was the first real instance of investigative reporting in the city.

Cock-throwing, dog-tossing and bare-knuckle boxing: the brutal history of Pancake Day in Bristol

Shrove Tuesday is a minor holiday at best these days. But turn the clock back, and both animals and humans in Bristol would have had a lot more than pancakes to worry about as Lent approached.

‘There’s a price to be paid’: one woman’s mission to highlight historic buildings’ slave trade links

Gloria Daniel has spent years tracing the connections between the UK’s built environment and its colonial trade in humans. An exhibition at Ashton Court and a new memorial in Bristol Cathedral are pushing back on hidden injustice.

JOIN OUR
NEWSLETTER

Fearless, independent
reporting you can trust.

JOIN OUR
NEWSLETTER

Fearless, independent
reporting you can trust.